Brazil: The Brazilian National Cement Industry Association (SNIC) has forecast a drop of 1% year-on-year in cement consumption in Brazil during 2023. This is due to a slowdown in the residential construction sector, which accounts for 70% of national demand. SNIC forecast a 2% year-on-year rise in cement demand in 2024, due to increased infrastructure activity.

Brazil produced 52Mt of cement during the first 10 months of 2023, down by 2.1%. The country produced 61Mt of cement in 2022, corresponding to a capacity utilisation rate of 65%.

Ethiopia: Lemi National Cement Factory’s construction of its upcoming Lemi cement plant is 70% complete and will conclude in time for inauguration of the plant on schedule in early 2024. Ethiopian News Agency has reported that construction of the 8Mt/yr plant’s preheater frames and rotary kilns finished on 28 November 2023. China-based Sinoma International Engineering is carrying out the project, which has a total cost of US$600m. Lemi National Cement Factory is a joint venture of local conglomerate East African Holding and West China Cement subsidiary West International Holding.

Thailand: Siam Cement Group (SCG) recorded sales of US$3.62bn during the third quarter of 2023. This represents a fall of 12% year-on-year. Business World News has reported that the producer attributes the decline to the on-going ‘slow economic revival’ in Southeast Asia. Nonetheless, chief executive officer Roongrote Rangsiyopash said that he expects growth to accelerate, especially in Indonesia, where construction of the new capital city, Nusantara, is underway in East Kalimantan. SCG reported a third-quarter operating profit of US$86.9m, up by 26% year-on-year.

Rangsiyopash said “SCG has continuously adjusted its business strategy and has operated with caution and prudence, thereby maintaining financial stability.”

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Cement Company awarded a US$34.8m contract to China-based Sinoma Energy Conservation to install a waste heat recovery (WHR) plant at its 3.7Mt/yr Riyadh cement plant. The installation will have a power generation capacity of 12.6MW.